Structural ambiguity

Question 1

Structural ambiguity

Answer 1

When in a sentence the verb consistentcy and structure that it occurs in alters. So when there is a NPsubj; onderwerp, there’s a NPobj;object. But instead of a DO (direct object) like this, it is possible the sentence follows with a NPsubj again, = SC (subject in complement/subordinate clause)

Question 2

DO or SC preference

Answer 2

Different verbs/contexts prefer DO or SC continuation

To test this, authors manipulated
- Consistency of final phrase w respect to initial verb
- WM load at the final phrase

Question 3

Consistency modification

Answer 3

Giving two options to finish a sentence. One consistent with the verb (DC) and one inconsistent (SC).

Found that eg for warned, the consistent sturcture is DO

For Concluded, the consistent structure was SC

Question 4

Modifyign WM

Answer 4

Added extra intervening material to increase WM load

More - less consistent;
dlPFC bilaterally (controlling restructuring)

Higher - lower WM load
- IPC, mainly for less-consistent sentences (phonological WM)

Question 5

Failing parser

Answer 5

WM and EF are recruited to understand the input, in particular when there’s structural ambiguity

Question 6

Ellis’ speech error explanations

Answer 6

The fact that we make mistakes like boints and jones when trying to say joints and bones, indicates that the word bones must’ve been already selected and put in the phonological memory buffer
- The memory buffer is the same for spontaneous and held planned speech
* seen in errors that occur in random syllable repetition

Question 7

Lee & Redford (verbal/spatial WM task)

Answer 7

Carried out verbal or spatial task (sequence)
Read aloud a sentence before reproduction

Dependent;
- Nr errors in sentence

Results
- More error, less fast and more prosodic breaks under load comp. control
- Both verbal and spacial similar effect

THUS, its not verbal WM that effects production, its attentional load

Question 8

Conveying emotion

Answer 8

Prosody; the changes in suprasegmental properties eg’
- Pitch
- Duration
- Intensity

Lexical items; affective semantics
- Sad, happy frustrated etc

Question 9

Cowens emotion cross-culture study

Answer 9

Lot of participants heard spoken samples of 5 cultures

Judged the affective feature (eg fairness) and the emotion.

Cross-culture results’
- Correlations on emotions were higher, especially in basic
- Effort and urgency correlated most in affective feature

Thus, emotion categories are better predictors

Question 10

LAN effect

Answer 10

Negative ERP; Left Anterior Negativity
- N400 is central, this one is left

• Occurs when there’s a syntactic violation, eg the adjective in relation to the noun
• Found that when the adjective was negative; the LAN increase. Whereas positive; decreased.

SO the emotional valacne changes syntactic integration. Negative words are harder to integrate.